CASHING OUT

At Least 15 Former U.S. Generals and Admirals Are Now Working for Saudi Arabia

Over 500 retired American military members have taken paid jobs for foreign governments like Saudi Arabia, with some earning seven figures, according to the Washington Post.

A lengthy Washington Post investigation has found that since 2015, at least 500 retired United States military members, including generals and admirals, have accepted plum jobs for foreign countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and other nations known for abuses of human rights and political repression. Mostly working as civilian contractors, some of them are being paid seven figures to help these countries strengthen their militaries. Since 2016, according to the Post, 15 retired U.S. generals and admirals have turned to working for Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry. American intelligence agencies believe the country’s leader Mohammed bin Salman ordered the 2018 death of Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi. Among the other paid American advisers in Saudi Arabia are former Marine General James L. Jones, who was a national security adviser to President Barack Obama, and former Army General Keith Alexander, a former National Security Agency leader for Obama and George W. Bush.